Misunderstandings
by Cardboard Bike
Summary: Iruka accidently spills a personal secret. How will Kakashi react?
1. Chapter 1

Umino Iruka was a respectable man, really. And the fact that his cheeks were flushed and his hand unsteady on his third – no, fourth – drink of the night was not to take away from that fact. He felt decidedly warm as he appraised the kunoichi next to him. "Itsh goot to talk to you Anko-san. Yourch _fun_. Notch like other people."

The purple haired ninja grinned at him, showing all her teeth in a slightly predatory manner. "Thank you, Iruka-kun," she purred. It had been surprisingly easy to get the man drunk. She should have guessed that he would be a lightweight, considering how he tended to be such a stickler for rules. This was the first time he had agreed to come out with her and she'd been pestering him for _months._

He was out with her, but the chuunin wasn't even looking at her. He was gazing around the room with starry eyes, taking a child's delight in the patterns the changing lights were making on the walls of the bar. Anko snorted. She couldn't have that. What use was a drunk Iruka if all he did was get lost in his own thoughts? No, she had to get something out of this. She slammed her beer down on the bench in front of him, making him jump slightly. She grinned and pointed to the mug. "'Tis yours. Drink up."

He smiled – _no one should be allowed to have such a sweet, innocent smile, _Anko thought furiously – and downed the lot in one long drag. _Damn._ Anko stared entranced at the movement of the smooth skin on his throat as he swallowed, and gasped as he nonchalantly wiped the foam off his upper lip with his finger then proceeded to stick it in his mouth. _That should be illegal._ "So why did you invite me here?" Iruka asked, looking back up from the drink to her eyes.

"I wanted to get to know you better." She leered, and shifted closer to him. He didn't seem to notice.

"Oh." Iruka seemed perfectly happy with that answer. "So how you gonna do that?"

Anko's eyes gleamed. She hadn't suspected the schoolteacher was that naive. The truth was, she had money riding on this. A twenty each from Genma, Raidou, Asuma and even Izumo and Kotetsu said she couldn't get into Iruka's pants. It was a challenge worth taking, because what she could see of the young chuunin wasn't exactly bad looking and Anko was keen to see more of him. "Well, I don't know," she whispered, her breath soft against his ear. She had leaned closer until she was almost touching his shoulder. "What do _you_ think I should do to," here she paused, and ran a hand up his thigh, scraping her nails lightly against his leg through his pants, "get to know you better?"

He pulled away from her slightly, and seemed to be actually thinking about the question. _Oh, my naïve little chuunin,_ Anko thought. _Maybe he's actually a virgin._ She delighted at the thought. Now _that _would be something to tell the guys. "I know," he answered, his dark eyes bright, "Questions! Questions and answers!"

"Eh?" _What was the stupid chuunin going on about now?_

"To get to know me better?" Iruka seemed the puzzled one now, and Anko nearly laughed out loud. _He didn't. No, he did._ Anko frowned and thought for a bit. If she played along with this maybe she could get some interesting information about the usually closed book that was Umino Iruka. He seemed to be a very open character but in truth there was a lot of subjects he hedged around, and no one really seemed to know what he did for fun. He seemed to spend most of his time in the Mission Room, at the Academy or at Ichiraku with Naruto – and none of that time could really be determined as pleasurable.

"Alright, Iruka-kun." She was suddenly very close to him again, but he didn't seem to notice. "What's your favourite thing to put in your mouth?" Anko's grin was sharklike as she watched his face for a reaction.

His answer was instant. "Anything not ramen."

Anko laughed, a surprised burst she couldn't contain. He'd obviously spent too much time with the kyuubi kid. He was looking a little woozy, actually. She'd better not let him drink any more or the certain parts of him she most wanted to experience might not function properly, and nobody likes to kiss someone who has been vomiting. "How do you feel?"

Iruka seemed to be trying to study her but his pupils were dashing wildly all over the place. "…Bit lightheaded," he admitted. "But s'nice."

Anko breathed out a sigh of relief. He was alright, and possibly in a very good state to be led into bed. Iruka prodded her in the ribs. "Question?"

"Oh!" He still wanted to play this game? "Lets see… what is the best feeling in the world?" Best to start him off with something light. She could get into favourite sexual positions later on, perhaps back at her apartment.

Iruka rested his elbow on the bench and his chin on his hand, frowning slightly. Tendrils of hair had escaped from his ponytail and Anko thought once again that he really was a good-looking guy, even it he was a bit of a prude.

"I know," he said slowly, "I know what the best feeling is." His eyes were soft and dreamy and he didn't appear to be seeing Anko at all. "Kakashi. Kakashi's lips… around my cock." He leaned back and sighed happily.

Anko spat her drink all over the bench. "What?" _There. Is. No. Way._

"Huh?" Iruka seemed to snap out of whatever had overtaken him, and blushed a brilliant shade of red. "Oh… oh dear. I didn't really say that did I?"

Anko's eyes were sharp and gleeful. She may not be getting any tonight, but she had stumbled on something even better. "Oh, you _did_. Tell me more." She pushed another mug of beer towards him. Now that she knew she had no chance of going home with him she had every intent of getting him plastered.

Iruka ignored the drink, and looked a little sick. "Should prob'ly go home now," he mumbled.

"No way!" Anko slapped him on that back. "I want to know what the famous Copy-nin is like in the sack."

Iruka blushed harder and the scar over his nose turned a furious red, but he didn't say anything. Anko sighed and looked over her shoulder into the crowd of party-going ninja, hoping to find someone who could help her interrogate her helpless prey. Instead, she found something even better. An unmistakable shock of silver hair was making its way toward them, honed in on Iruka.

"Ne, Iruka-sensei, you look a bit flushed," said the newcomer, his eye curved up in a smile.

Iruka started in shock, and rubbed the bridge of his nose self-consciously. "Ka… Kashi-kun. Why are you – I thought you didn't like loud places like this?"

Before Kakashi could answer Anko spoke. "I hear you're good at blowjobs, Hatake-san."

Kakashi's eye widened visibly in surprise for a moment, and Iruka turned and buried his face in Kakashi's shirt, fingers clutching the thin material desperately. "Wanna go home."

Kakashi nodded and slipped an arm around Iruka, forming seals for the transportation jutsu to leave a confused Anko alone at the bar to pick up the tab.

Safely back at Iruka's apartment Kakashi looked down at the man he was holding. Iruka still refused to look at him, his face pressed against his chest and his fingers knotted in Kakashi's shirt. He hooked a finger through the younger mans hair tie and snapped it, watching the smooth hair tumble freely, then stroked his fingers down through it. Partly to soothe Iruka, and partly because he enjoyed doing it.

They stood there for a while until Kakashi's curiosity got the better of him. "'Ruka?"

Iruka stirred a little against his chest but made no sound.

"'Ruka, what did you say to Anko?"

Iruka still gave no reply. Kakashi sighed, and lifted the tan chin with long, gentle fingers. And then chuckled. Iruka hadn't answered him because there, standing in the middle of the living room in his lover's arms, he had fallen asleep. Kakashi gently slid an arm under his knees and carried him to the bedroom, placing him carefully on the bed with a soft sigh. Iruka made no move to stop him as he stripped him of his shirt and pants and Kakashi wondered for a moment if he would have been this pliant had Anko managed to take him home, before pushing the thought from his mind. _That_ was not a good direction to think in, or else the kunoichi would end up missing a few limbs and he would be in major trouble with the Hokage.

Stripping his own clothes he lay down beside his lover, who turned instinctively and snuggled up under his chin. He wrapped his arms around him and stayed that way, not sleeping, for a very long time.


	2. Chapter 2

Iruka woke alone, with a pounding headache. He stumbled to the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water, trying to remember the night before. _Anko. Beer. Questions. Blowjobs?_ _Oh Kami. Kashi's going to _kill_ me._ He pressed both of his palms flat against his forehead in an unsuccessful attempt to quell the pounding and took a deep breath before leaving the safety of the bathroom.

Kakashi was sitting at the table looking like nothing out of the ordinary had happened, reading from his disgusting orange book. Iruka slunk into the chair opposite him, wincing at the thought of the questions that would come. Kakashi merely waved a hand in his direction, not looking up from the book. "Eat. I'm sure you feel spectacularly crappy."

Iruka looked down in surprise. Kakashi had made him eggs on toast, and what looked like very strong coffee. He sighed in relief. If Kakashi was angry he wouldn't have done this. He ate slowly, afraid if he ate at normal speed it might all come up again. When he was done he aligned his knife and fork in the middle of his plate, as he always did. Kakashi set down his book.

"So. What did you say to Anko?"

The tone of voice suggested he didn't much care for the answer, but Iruka could pick up an undercurrent that said otherwise. Iruka flinched. "Um." He scratched the bridge of his nose, just under his scar. "She asked me what the best feeling in the world was."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "And you said…"

Iruka flushed crimson. "Well, I… uh… I told her the truth."

Kakashi cocked his head to one side and managed to look more threatening than like an adorable puppy. Iruka mumbled something. Kakashi leaned closer. "I can't hear you."

Iruka coughed lightly, and looked so pathetically cute that Kakashi almost let him off the hook. Almost. "I said, 'your lips on my…' on my… well, you know." The chuunin hung his head, afraid to look the Copy-nin in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

The jounin's lips curved up in a smirk. "What are you sorry for?"

"Huh?" Iruka looked up in surprise. "But we – our relationship – isn't it meant to be a secret?"

Kakashi shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. But I like that you said that." He licked his lips and leered, sending a tingle up the chuunin's spine which was more than a little pleasant. "Don't you have a shift at the mission desk this morning?"

"Oh, shit." Iruka stood up fast, and was rewarded with a shooting pain through his left temple as his brain reminded him he didn't feel so great. He definitely did not want to go work the mission desk feeling like this when there was a 100% chance that Anko had told everyone, Sannin, Jounin and Chuunin alike, what he had said the previous night. He flushed a light pink at the thought.

"Go back to bed." Kakashi was behind him and propelling him out of the room, back to the bedroom.

"Huh?"

"I'll take your mission desk shift. It can't be that hard, can it?"

"But, Kakashi…"

"You need to rest. What time do you – I – start?"

Iruka found himself being pushed firmly but gently back into the pillows on the bed, and masked lips brushed against his own. "Ten thirty," he said with a sigh. It did feel a lot better to be lying down again.

Kakashi glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed. 10:37. "Maa, better get going then."

His transportation jutsu landed him in an alleyway beside the Academy. He felt around with his chakra to check nobody was around before forming new seals. Stepping out into the sunlight, Kakashi blinked. It felt weird to feel the sun on his face, and he rubbed his chin absentmindedly. He touched the scar over his nose to make sure it was there before walking briskly toward the mission room, reminding himself that Iruka never slouches.

A grinning Genma was waiting for him behind the desk. Kakashi slipped in beside him without acknowledging him, as Iruka might do if he was embarrassed about something. "So. I hear you had fun last night, Iruka-sensei," Genma said conversationally.

Kakashi glanced at him then turned his eyes down, scratching the bridge of his nose. He didn't even have to pretend to blush because the hungry look Genma was giving him made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"C'mon." Genma had shifted his chair a little closer, invading his personal space. "I want to know about you and a certain famous Copy-nin."

"I-it's nothing." Kakashi kept his eyes on his knees and applauded himself silently for his nervous Iruka.

"C'mon." Genma was _wheedling_ now. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

_Yeah right, _Kakashi thought. _But I'm counting on you telling everyone._ He looked up, big chocolate eyes pleading at Genma. He could only hope he was as good at the puppy eye thing as Iruka was. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course." He could feel Genma practically rubbing his hands together in excitement.

"Okay." He breathed out a long sigh. "I… well, I kinda have a big crush on him." He rubbed his nose – Iruka's nose – furiously. It was so cute when Ruka did that, and he was kind of enjoying it.

"And?" Genma's curiosity had reached new heights. "Did you get together with him?"

"Well, yeah. Kind of." Kakashi made a sheepish face.

"Kind of?" Genma was about to say more but was interrupted by a deep baritone.

"So, you got together with Kakashi-san, Iruka-sensei?" Asuma drawled around his customary cigarette. Kurenai was clutching his arm, bright eyes trained on Kakashi in interest.

"He was just going to tell me how," Genma said lazily, looking back to Kakashi. "So, Iruka-sensei?"

_So much for not telling anyone._ Kakashi grinned inwardly. That man could be trusted to spread gossip like the plague. "Well, I, uh…" His eyes flicked from one person to the next, and back again. He rubbed his finger along the bridge of his nose again, for good measure. "I _might_ have broken into his apartment while he was on a mission. It was just to see if I could find his last mission report, because he never handed it in."

_Now, was that believable?_ Kakashi looked up from under his eyelashes at the three jounin. They were staring at him in shock. _Maybe not._

"So… what happened?" asked Kurenai, wide-eyed. _Huh. I guess they'll believe anything Iruka-sensei tells them. _

"I was looking in his… in his bedroom, and he came home and found me." Kakashi had to reign in his thoughts a bit about what he would really do to little Ruka-kun if he found him rummaging through all his stuff. Not because he cared, of course, but it was the principle of the thing. You had to take every chance you got. The three jounin were hanging on his every word.

"I'm sure he must have been surprised, but he didn't show it. He pushed me against the wall -"

"What's going on here?" Kakashi was rudely interrupted by a loud, booming voice, and the jounin turned to see a large pair of breasts storming toward them.

"Tsunade-sama," Genma squawked.

The Hokage ignored him, staring at Kakashi. "What have you done with Iruka-sensei, brat?"

_Ah. Perfect._ Genma's senbon was almost falling out of his open mouth, Kurenai's eyes narrowed, and Asuma pretended to be looking somewhere else. _Well,_ Kakashi thought, _It wouldn't hurt to play a little bit longer._ "What… what do you mean, Hokage-sama?"

She gripped the front of his flak jacket with both hands and lifted him bodily out of his seat. "De-henge, brat, and tell me where Iruka-sensei is. You know what I'm talking about."

Kakashi gave a little shrug, a wiggle of his shoulders, and with a slight _poof_ and a cloud of chakra smoke the image of Iruka disappeared, leaving a bored looking Kakashi in its wake. "Maa, you can put me down now, Tsunade-sama."

The Hokage just gripped him tighter, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Where. Is. Iruka?" She shook him with each word.

"Ne, in his bed probably. He was feeling unwell so I said I'd cover for him." Kakashi grinned under his mask at the way Genma's eyes were popping out. Maybe he should try this more often.

Tsunade dumped him unceremoniously on the floor. "You better be telling the truth, brat. If you hurt that teacher…" She turned to Kurenai and Asuma. "You two, go check on Iruka. Don't tell him about," here she flapped her hand at Kakashi, "Just make sure he's still breathing. This is a mission."

She glared at the Copy-nin as the two jounin left silently. "And you. You go home, and don't make trouble for anyone. Got it? Or I will personally make trouble for you." She spun on her heel and stomped back out of the room, as quickly as she had come.

Genma was staring at him, open-mouthed. "You… you even had Anko fooled."

Kakashi shrugged. "I am the number one Copy-ninja. And I do believe the Hokage just gave me a compulsory day off." He grinned widely under his mask.

"I don't believe it." Genma was still shaking his head and muttering when Kakashi left the room.

Kakashi ambled to the memorial stone, out of habit more than anything else. He couldn't go back home until Iruka's shift was over, or 'Ruka would get mad at him. And although 'Ruka was definitely very _cute_ mad it probably wasn't the best idea at the moment. He sat down and leant his back against the cool smooth marble. "That was successful, ne Obito?" he said conversationally to the slab. He could hear the other boy's mocking voice in his head. "Kakashi-kun's in _love._"

He shook his head to clear the thought and pulled out his little orange book. If he was going to have half a day to sit around he might as well find out what happens to the helpless princess trapped in the tower. Hopefully something with whips and chains.


	3. Chapter 3

Kakashi returned to Iruka's apartment at nightfall. Icha Icha Paradise had gotten a lot more exciting than he had expected, and he'd lost track of the time. Oh well. Everyone seemed to expect him to be late anyway.

The apartment smelled good. Iruka was cooking something, and Kakashi realised suddenly that he hadn't eaten since breakfast. Stalking silently across the room he pulled his mask down and bit the other man lightly on the shoulder. Iruka jerked around instinctively and hit him in the face with the wooden spoon he was holding. "Oh." It took him a second to get out of defence mode. "Sorry, 'Kashi." Then he giggled. Kakashi had sauce and a tiny bit of carrot and mushy pea dribbling down his face. "If only they could see the great Sharingan Kakashi now."

Kakashi gave a small growl in the back of his throat and wrapped his arms around Iruka, pulling him close. "I hope you're going to do something about the mess you just made."

Iruka poked him in the stomach. "You're supposed to be a genius. You _know_ it's a bad idea to sneak up on a ninja, even if said ninja is weaker than you. It is a particularly bad idea to bite them, too." He smiled. "But I guess you've learnt your lesson?" He tentatively licked at the soup on the jounin's chin and the man sighed happily. Emboldened, Iruka lapped at his face some more, sloppily licking him like a dog. The sauce tasted good in combination with his lovers skin, he thought. Perhaps there was an idea there.

Kakashi shoved him off. "That feels disgusting."

"But it tastes good." Iruka pouted.

_Iruka pouted. Oh, the irresistibility of Iruka's cute face screwed up in a pout._ Kakashi lunged, and captured Iruka's lips with his own. Feeling a hand tightly gripping his hair, Iruka surrendered and parted his lips slightly to accept the warm tongue, which he caressed with his own. _Oh Kami, that's good._

He was feeling more than a little frazzled when they pulled apart, and he melted when Kakashi – without-his-mask-Kakashi – smiled at him. It was a rare smile, a purely honest, happy smile, and it wasn't something that the jounin pulled out often. It was what made living through all the leering, the smirking and the shit eating grins worthwhile – the chance to see this painfully beautiful real part of the man of mystery.

Kakashi's stomach grumbled. Iruka shook his head gently in an attempt to clear his mind. "Dinner!" He swore, and turned to face the pot on the stove. Kakashi hugged him from behind, holding his chest flush against the chuunins back.

"That's no language for a teacher to use," he breathed gently into his ear. "You're going to have to be punished for that." He gripped the chuunin tighter and smiled when he was rewarded with a full body shiver.

"Dinner first," Iruka said firmly, pushing the naughty jounin away. "Your stomach is complaining."

Kakashi pouted, but only half-heartedly. The food smelt good and he hadn't eaten all day. Iruka smiled up at him with liquid eyes, softened by the sheer cuteness of the elite ninja throwing a tantrum because he couldn't play before dinner. "We can play after dinner, right? I still owe you for taking on my shift this morning."

Iruka still had homework to grade before Monday but the way the Copy-nin's eyes lit up was worth the fact he would have to stay up all night to finish it if he 'played' the way Kakashi wanted. The jounin took the bowl of soup offered to him and obediently sat down at the table to eat, slurping it up in great big gulps.

"Hey, hey." Iruka laughed. "It doesn't matter how fast you eat it, you still have to wait for me to finish mine."

Kakashi grinned at him. "It's a bit of a habit, anyway. Not often I get to eat without a mask."

"Oh. Right."

Iruka was eating slowly, and Kakashi was getting impatient. The chuunin wasn't doing it on purpose; he was simply drowsing somewhere between thought and daydream. It wasn't often he got a surprise day off. Maybe he could ask Kakashi to fill in for him more often. He was dragged from his thoughts by the sound of rhythmic tapping that was slowly growing louder and more insistent. He sighed and looked up from his bowl. Kakashi was tapping his spoon agitatedly against the table, eyes – both eyes, he seemed to have removed his hitai ate as well as his mask – boring into the stunned chuunin.

Iruka returned his gaze for a few moments before saying, "I get it. I've finished now. You don't have to wait for me much longer." He placed his still half-full bowl on top of Kakashi's empty one and stood to clear the table. Kakashi blinked in surprise and his stare fell a few notches in intensity. "Ne, Iruka, you need to eat. I can wait for you. I wasn't intending for you to stop."

Within seconds the jounin was behind him, one arm around his waist and the other forcing a spoonful of soup against his shocked lips. He opened his mouth to protest only to splutter as the soup was tipped onto his tongue.

"Kakashi! What are you doing?"

"You need to eat," the older man said simply. "To keep your energy up."

Iruka wanted to protest but the hand that was around his waist was wriggling underneath his shirt and sliding dangerously close to the waistband of his pants, and he found he no longer had the presence of mind to form words when Kakashi nibbled lightly on the base of his neck, ghosting warm breath past his ear. All he could do was gasp as he unconsciously pushed back into the warm body behind him. The hand trailed lower, cool fingers sending sparks shooting through the chuunin's body as they explored the sensitive strip of skin just below his waistband. The Copy-nin chuckled. "You should eat, 'Ru."

His voice was pitched low and the sound of it sent shivers down Iruka's spine. He startled as the cool metal of his spoon was once again pressed against his lips. "Open for me, 'Ruka."

Iruka could only comply dumbly as his mind had left him the second Kakashi had licked his earlobe, nibbling gently on the puffy skin. He was pushed right back against his lover and the feel of the unrestrained power in the solid muscles surrounding him made him shiver in anticipation. The spoon was once again at his mouth and he swallowed without thinking.

He let out a gasp when fingers brushed lightly against his cock, the faintest touch, and Kakashi seized the chance to shovel soup into his mouth while it was open. Iruka groaned. "Don't tease me 'Kashi."

"Mmm?" Kakashi's hand drew a lazy circle around his belly button then dove back into his pants, sweeping his thumb and forefinger up Iruka's length and releasing him quickly, making him ache for more.

"Kaka_shi._" Iruka drew out the last syllable of his name in a gasping breath as he pushed backwards, feeling the hard length of his lover pressing against his backside. 'Stop. Teasing. _Fuck me."_

"Maa, Sensei, so impatient." Kakashi's breath was hot on his ear. "You have to finish your soup. Little boys who don't eat their dinner don't get dessert."

The spoon was to his lips again and Iruka pushed it away impatiently, not hearing it clatter to the floor. "If you want me to eat the damn soup I'll eat it," he growled, lifting the bowl to his lips and draining it, almost choking in his hurry. He slammed the now empty bowl down on the table and was surprised when it shattered.

Kakashi let out a deep, throaty laugh. 'Are you really that desperate for me, Sensei?" he teased. Iruka wheeled around angrily, ready with a sharp retort, but saw only warmth and humour in his lover's eyes. His anger dissipated and instead he only nodded. "Please…"

The Copy-nin grinned wolfishly, and before Iruka could react had picked him up and flung him over his shoulder, heading towards the bedroom. "Dammit Kakashi put me down! I'm not a woman!" He beat his fists without hope against the broad back presented to him.

"Oh I _know_ you're not a woman Ru." Kakashi leered at his chuunin as he flipped him onto his back on the bed, and then proceeded to bury his face in Iruka's crotch, making him gasp. "And I'm glad you're 100% man."

Iruka growled, grabbed a handful of silver hair, and _pulled_. Kakashi yelped, and found himself staring into twin pools of chocolaty brown lust. "Clothes. Off. Now." The voice brooked no objection and Kakashi felt his whole body tingle. _The Teacher Voice._ Oh, how he loved a demanding Iruka.

Shirts, pants and underwear went flying and lips met lips as tanned skin melded with pale into a writhing, sweating mess. Teeth grated across skin and teased soft nipples into hard nubs; tongues traced hot trails down goosebumping flesh while backs arched and names were moaned. Hands traced every inch of free skin desperately, achingly, claiming ownership and taking greedily without hesitation.

It was a relief to finally come together, to fill and be filled, both feeling as though _this_ is the meaning of life, this moment, this feeling of being complete and content. "Love you 'Kashi," Iruka breathed, not needing to be heard, only needing to expel the words. Mismatched eyes flew to his face and he was drawn into a deep, searing kiss, the Copy-nin's unspoken _I love you too._


	4. Chapter 4

Iruka woke this time with Kakashi curled around him, a long leg splayed over his hip possessively. He smiled fondly at the sleeping man as he tried to disentangle himself from the clinging limbs. Kakashi was the only person he knew who could still look threatening while sleeping. Oh, he was gorgeous, and Iruka would even go so far as to say he looked like an angel with his hair all mussed up like that with the morning sun glinting off it, and his unearthly pale skin glowing. But there was something distinctly unnerving about the way he managed to _leer_ in his sleep and the way he twitched his fingers as if itching to hold a kunai. Not to mention the waves of chakra that roiled around his form, rippling peacefully but ever so alert.

Having extracted himself from the puzzle that is sleeping Kakashi Iruka allowed himself one last long stare at his naked lover before turning to pick up his neatly folded stack of uniform from beside the bed. A pale hand shot out from under the covers and grabbed his wrist, one dark eye staring at him, half lidded. "Stay," Kakashi commanded, but Iruka just brushed him off, laughing. He placed a quick kiss on his forehead. "I have to go to school. I'll be back later."

"But I want you now," Kakashi complained, and if it had been anyone else Iruka would have said it was a whine.

"I can't stay," Iruka said gently, "You took my mission desk shift for me yesterday, remember? If I miss two days of work people are going to think something's wrong with me, and come round here with flowers and balloons and make a hell of a lot of noise. You don't want that, do you?"

Kakashi shook his head reluctantly and sighed. "I know." He snuggled deeper under the blankets and stuck his bottom lip out in a faux pout. "Doesn't mean I don't want you though."

_He may be terrifying while he's sleeping,_ Iruka mused, _but he can be damn cute when he's awake. And he knows it, and flaunts it. Damn him. _"You're a big boy. I'm sure you can handle being alone for a few hours." He reached down and ruffled the silver hair, delighting in how soft it was. Kakashi mock glared at him. Iruka decided he should possibly buy his lover a little present on the way home, just for being so desperately cute.

It was only after Iruka had left the house and was halfway down the road that he remembered what he had said to Anko two nights previously, and how fast gossip spread in a ninja village. He contemplated turning around and climbing back into bed with Kakashi for a moment, but steeled his nerve. He was stronger than that.

There was something odd about the way people were acting around him. His students were fine, boisterous and trouble making as usual, but there was something off about the way the other teachers kept staring at him with what looked like pity in their eyes. He never caught them, for they always turned away before he could catch their eye. It was unnerving, to say the least.

He assumed the odd reactions were to do with the Anko conversation, but couldn't for the life of him figure out how that would get people to _pity_ him. Perhaps they were shocked he was gay, and someone had complained to the Hokage and he would lose his job… Iruka shook his head. That was absurd. He knew for a fact that Tsunade-sama couldn't care less about anyone's sexual orientation, much less a worthless chuunin schoolteacher like himself. And there was no way they could pity him for having Kakashi's love – even though Kakashi was yet to admit he loved Iruka, Iruka knew that he did – for Kakashi is one of the greatest shinobi in the village. So, why?

Apart from the staring, people were being exceptionally nice to him. A young teacher he hardly knew offered him half of her lunch when she found he had forgotten his – _damn that Kakashi and his distracting pout _ – and an intern who usually kept to himself had approached him and asked if he needed anything done. It was all a great big mystery, but Iruka knew the exact person he had to find to figure out what this was all about.

He found the man lying on his stomach on a branch which overlooked one of the small training fields behind the academy. Iruka didn't have to wonder why the special jounin was haunting the schoolyard for long as Raidou appeared in the doorway carrying a huge bucket in front of his chest. He was followed by a bustling stream of excited pre-genins, all grasping kunai in their unexperienced hands. As Raidou put the bucket down Iruka realised he was shirtless, and understood why he had picked this particular field. It was the most secluded training area that belonged to the academy. Iruka felt a sudden stab of anger towards the man in the tree and kicked at the trunk, hard enough to shake it. The man fell with a faint cry of surprise but twisted to land on his feet. He turned to Iruka and scowled, senbon turned down in his mouth. "What did you do that for?"

Iruka scowled back. He'd had years to perfect his angry face, and he was much better at it than Genma. "Why are you spying on Raidou?"

Genma sighed. "He won't let me see him like that, but he's fine with these little brats. I don't get it." Both men turned to watch Raidou for a moment. He had taken a water balloon out of the bucket and was jiggling it in one hand, explaining something to the kids. Suddenly he turned, throwing the balloon into the air and a kunai after it, popping it and sending a fine shower of water over his class. The kids 'oooooh'ed. So did Genma. He wasn't watching the balloon though, but the way the twisted skin on Raidou's face travelled over his left shoulder and down his chest.

"Kids don't judge," Iruka said quietly. "They just ask lots of personal questions then move on, accepting that things are as they are."

"Yeah." Genma was contemplative. "But I wouldn't judge him either." He shook himself to get rid of the heavy feeling that had settled round his shoulders. "Anyway. We both know why I'm here. Why are you here?"

When he looked back at Iruka he had a grin plastered over his face but it was lacking some of his normal cheer. The senbon in his mouth pointed to the ground. Iruka just stared at him, having momentarily forgotten exactly why he had been searching for the older man. "Oh, right. Everyone's been acting real weird around me today. I figured you'd know why." He rubbed at the scar on his nose. "You know all the gossip around here."

Genma's grin broke into a leer and the senbon perked up. "Ahh. Have you seen Kakashi yet?"

"Kakashi?" Iruka's nose crinkled up in confusion. He suddenly had a very bad feeling about this. "What has he done?"

"Maybe you should ask him." Genma had gone back to watching Raidou, who was throwing the colourful water balloons for the kids to aim their kunais at. They tended to miss, and the jounin's pants were soaked through, clinging to his muscled legs.

"I came to you because everyone else is avoiding talking about whatever it is that is making them pity me. I figured you don't have a conscience so you'd tell me."

'Well," Genma chewed his senbon thoughtfully, eyes still glued on Raidou's backside, "He's been spreading some dirty little rumours about you."

"Like what?" Iruka's voice was cold and his hands clenched into fists by his sides. His anger was so evident in the way his chakra snapped around him that it made Genma turn to look at him.

"Don't be too mad at him. He doesn't know how to interact with people all that well, being a super genius and all. He probably just wants your attention."

"Well he's certainly got my attention," Iruka said coldly. "Thank you, Genma-san. That was very helpful."

Iruka stalked away, back straight and eyes forward. He could feel Genma watching him go but couldn't bring himself to care. He was _livid _. Why on earth had he thought it was a good idea to let Kakashi take over his shift? Kakashi never did anything without an ulterior motive. Of course he had been planning some stupid trick to get him back for spilling their relationship to Anko, the second biggest gossip in the village (after Genma, of course). How could he be so _stupid?_ Making him breakfast had been Kakashi's way of sweetening him up, making him forget what a deviant bastard he was. He'd even thought of buying him a _present._ Damn him. Damn him to hell.

When Iruka got home he slammed the door open and stood in the entranceway, fuming. Kakashi materialized in front of him almost immediately, drawn by the anger in his chakra. They stood there for a moment, just watching each other, until Kakashi said, "What's wrong, 'Ruka?"

He was wearing only a pair of unwrapped uniform pants and his mask which made Iruka even more angry. _Stupid lazy jounin hasn't even bothered to put clothes on. Flaunting his sexy body to taunt me. Baka. _He pushed Kakashi against the wall, hard, and held him there. He was even more frustrated when the jounin didn't fight back and just let him do it, completely lax in his hands.

"Maa, Iruka, what is this about?" He was being studied by one lazy dark eye, the sharingan hidden under a cloud of silver hair.

"You know what," Iruka hissed, tightening his grip. Kakashi didn't react.

"I don't know. You're going to have to tell me." He seemed genuinely puzzled.

"Genma says you've been telling dirty little secrets about me. You didn't have to be so underhanded. I know I shouldn't have said what I did to Anko."

"Ahh." The puzzlement in Kakashi's eye cleared. "Will you put me down so I can explain? I'm kind of uncomfortable."

"Why should I?" Iruka's eyes were narrowed and his voice fierce. "You've been saying things - "

"Which will help keep your reputation clean," Kakashi interrupted.

Iruka's mind whirled, but couldn't process that piece of information. "What? How can spilling my secrets give me a good reputation?"

"I didn't spill your secrets."

"But Genma said - "

"Do you want me to tell you what happened yesterday?" Kakashi asked, one eyebrow raised. Iruka nodded, but didn't let go of his wrists.

"I went into the mission office henged as you, and said that I, being you, had a crush on me. And then kind of insinuated that we did some stuff together."

Iruka frowned. "How does that help anything?"

"Well, Tsunade-sama came in and realised I was me and not you, so she made me de-henge. So everyone now thinks that I was the one who said you like me sucking your cock, in an attempt to get your attention or make you mad or something." His eye curved up in a happy arc.

"Wait." Iruka thought about it carefully, and when he got it his eyes shot wide. He understood the pity now. "People are going to hate you. They all think you were trying to ruin my reputation."

"Maa, it doesn't matter." Kakashi shrugged. "They all think I'm a pervert anyway, right? It's better than them thinking that you are too. Ne, Iruka?"

Iruka had been staring at his feet and he looked up when Kakashi said his name. He felt like a fool for ever doubting his Copy-nin. "Yes?" he said softly.

"Could you let me down now?"

"Oh!" Iruka blushed, realising he still had his lover pinned to the wall. He released his grip and watched as Kakashi rubbed his wrists gently. Red marks were visible there in the form of handprints. "I'm so sorry." He grabbed both hands and kissed the wrists gently. "That's the most selfless thing anyone had even done for me, and I doubted you."

Kakashi smiled, and pulled him into a soft hug. "It's not a big thing 'Ru, just forget about it."

Iruka smiled back as he wrapped his arms around Kakashi's waist and tucked his face into his shoulder. It didn't matter if he'd never say it aloud, or what anyone else thought about it. He knew he was loved by the Copy-ninja, it showed in all the little things he did. And that was all that mattered.


End file.
